The Keeper of My Heart
by Misty Zoe
Summary: *ON HOLD* Draco Malfoy's nasty plan misfires back at him when they kidnapped the wrong girl!
1. The Wrong Girl

·sºô­¶1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  The Keeper of My Heart ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

by **sexyme**

CHAPTER 1 

~*~*~*~

It was drizzling outside. Draco Malfoy was seated at the couch facing the fireplace. 

_I will finally get my ____revenge on that show-off Potter._ His eyes gleamed in the dark, as he stared at the flames deep in thought. All these years, he had wanted to make Potter's life miserable. Now, three years after he had left Hogwarts, he couldn't believe his luck. Revenge was served to him in a silver platter. A cruel smile played on his lips. _Revenge would be oh so sweet._

Draco stood up with feline grace and headed towards the kitchen. Inside the kitchen, he went to a cupboard and opened it. At the topmost shelf, there was an ordinary looking blue jar. His left hand reached out to the blue jar and pushed it downwards. The jar disappeared and a secret opening next to the cupboard slid open. 

He went inside the opening. Once inside, the door magically disappeared. Ahead of him was a long dark corridor faintly lit by two torches, one on the left corner and one on the right. He passed by countless doors, he kept on walking until he reached the last door on the left. He opened the door. It was extremely dark inside, he could barely see the occupant of the room. 

"Lumos!" he said evenly, and his wand emitted a bright light. He entered the room noiselessly, his eyes taking in the cramped room, peeling wallpaper, and dampness in the air. His eyes narrowed as he peered at the unconscious girl slumped on the unadorned bed. He placed his wand at the table and went close to the girl. His eyes gleamed upon seeing one slim leg exposed. Her dress was all wet and torn and it now hugged her body like a second skin, showing appealing soft curves. Her shoulder length reddish brown hair in a wild disarray. 

A big frown slowly formed on Draco's face. _Strange, I don't remember her hair being brown?_ he wondered in confusion. He placed a hand on the girl's shoulder to let her in a sitting position, facing him. The girl was still out cold, and would stay that way for at least four more hours. 

The cruel smile returned on his lips.

_Tonight, revenge is mine_. 

Her face was still covered with a black cloth. He deftly removed the cloth with his long tapered hands. A few seconds later, the cloth fell from his cold stiff hands to the floor.

"WHAT THE HELL!?!" he said in shock. Without the black cloth masking her face, Draco could clearly see who the girl was. Instead of Ginny Weasley, it was Hermione Granger. 

Stunned with this discovery, his stiff hands let the unconscious Hermione slump back to the bed. He remained standing on the spot like a frozen statue. Then like a burst of lightning, he stormed out of the room and slammed the door loudly. 

~*~*~*~

Two hours had passed and the rain had stopped, Hermione slowly drifted back to consciousness as she stirred on the bed. She slowly crack one eye open, peering into the dark and seeing nothing. 

"Why is everything so dark?" she muttered in irritation. She reached out to the lamp next to her bed but her hand grasped at thin air. She quickly jerked upright into a sitting position. Now wide awake after realizing this was obviously not her room.

"Where the hell am I? And why is it so bloody dark in here?" she said loudly. And as her feet touched the ice cold floor, she gave a surprised gasp. Gritting her teeth, she stood up, clearly aware how cold the floor was.

"Damn!" she hissed in the darkness. Her head felt slightly woozy, AS she shook her head slowly. A wave a dizziness washed over her, she had no choice but to sit down on the edge of the bed. As she took deep calming breaths, the memory of last night's events returned to her in full force.

"Can't we just stay a little bit longer?" asked Ginny, with a little bit of pleading in her voice.

Hermione laughed at the expression on Ginny's face. She crossed her hands over her chest and said, "Well..."

Ginny placed a hand on Hermione's crossed ones. "C'mon, Herm, just this once."

She finally gave in. "Alright, one more hour. But after eleven we need to get back. Or your fiancee Harry James Potter would be after my head," she said firmly. 

Ginny blushed at the mention of Harry's name. They had just been engaged two months ago and they would finally get married next week. Their upcoming wedding was announced in the Daily Prophet. It was the talk of the town for weeks. 

Seeing the ecstatic expression on her best friend, Hermione couldn't help but smile. She was really happy for the two of them. She prided herself for being the matchmaker between the two. Harry, despite being such a wonderful friend over the years, was so completely dense when it comes to Ginny. 

Virginia Weasley or Ginny, as they fondly call her, had a crush on Harry for years. But Harry, being the thick git that he was, looked at her as merely Ron's little sister. It took all of Hermione's brilliant plan to make Harry finally realize that he had fallen hard for Ginny as well.

The two were now seated in Hermione's usual spot in her favorite hangout pub, The Stargazers. An empty jug of Haley's Comet, the pub's popular drink, lay on the table. 

"I really looove this drrink. It's fruity, sweet, and .. and makes... me feel so exhilirated!" Ginny exclaimed, her voice slightly slurring a bit, indicating how drunk she already was. Her face was flushed with profuse color, as she giggled uncontrollably. "Can we order some more?"

Hermione shook her head. _Boy, I'll be in a lot of trouble if Harry sees Ginny this way._

It wasn't really her idea to bring the younger girl to the pub, but Ginny was persistent. She didn't have the heart to refuse her best friend in the world. 

Ginny became her closest friend since fifth year started. Harry and Ron became too involved with Quidditch that she felt left out. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. She was like an older sister to Ginny who was far too innocent. The reason was obvious, Ginny was far too protected by all her brothers, most specially by Ron. 

She thought about how Ron, who had been her boyfriend since 7th year, dumped her two years ago for one Mandy Brocklehurst. She was angry and hurt at that time, but later on she realized they were really better of as friends.

"Err, may we know which one of you is Virgina Weasley?" An oily voice interrupted her train of thoughts.

She looked up to see a very suspicious looking man. He was around thirty years old, his nose slightly hooked, reminding him of Snape, with beady eyes that were now looking at her expectantly. 

"Why? What is it that you want?" she asked, pretending to be Ginny. She glanced at Ginny, who was now so drunk that she had fallen asleep with her head slumped on the table.

"We would like to congratulate you for your upcoming marriage to Mr. Harry Potter," replied the man, in the same oily voice. "We wish you all the best." He bowed down to her and left graciously before Hermione could say a word edgewise. 

She shuddered, not totally understanding why the man gave her the creeps. She decided to call it a night. She brought Ginny home and got a look of disapproval from Ron, who she blatantly ignored. Finally, she headed to the warm comforts of her home. 

Within thirty minutes, she was standing outside the door of the flat she had lived in for three years. She was looking for the key in her bag when she felt somebody put a gag to her mouth and everything went black.

The realization now slowly sunk in. "I've been kidnapped!" she said aloud. Her eyes widened with shock.

"It was Ginny, who they wanted to kidnap. Whoever it was, thought I was Ginny.... but who the hell would want to kidnap Ginny and why?" she whispered to herself out of shock and outrage. Something clicked inside her head, she knew who kidnapped her, that suspicious man in the Pub.

"But why?" she cried out in the darkness.

Meanwhile, Draco paced back and forth across the living room like a caged animal. A dark scowl on his face. He was furious at the stupidity of one Johor Larkin. That dim-witted oaf kidnapped Granger instead of the Weasley girl. _Of all the stupidest thing to do, he had to kidnap the little... Mudblood! She's not e_ven a redhead, for crying out loud!

Two hours ago, when he got that letter from Larkin, informing him that he has a special gift as an exchange for the opportunity to become a full pledge Death Eater, Draco was beside himself with excitement. He really wanted to make Potter suffer. And Ginny Weasley, her virginal soon to be wife was the perfect key for his revenge. He had no liking for the pathetic creature but she could prove useful as a bait.

He was shaking with anger as he clenched and unclenched his fist. 

"I need a drink!" he said loudly, wanting to get rid of the tension and growing turmoil that was slowly building up inside him. He went to his private bar and took out a glass and poured himself a drink. 

"Damn! Of all the people he could have taken. It had to be Granger!" he yelled across the room, as he slammed the glass against the table. His chest heaved raggedly, he couldn't think straight. He was so mad that he wanted to kill the idiot right at this moment for this huge blunder. As he poured himself more brandy, he kept muttering, "Damn it!" and getting more and more furious. 

All of a sudden, the glass splintered into a tiny pieces. He looked down, he just realized that he had smashed the glass and blood trickled from the deep gash on his palm. For a few seconds, he just stared at the wound on his hand. Feeling a certain calmness enveloping him as he felt the pain as each drop of blood fell. He stood up and went to the kitchen and got out a medical kit. Binding the wound, he took another glass and refilled it with more brandy. He sat down on the couch and stared at the flames, mesmerized by the flickering light. 

All of a sudden, the image of what he had seen just half an hour ago returned to him. He could envision her lying on the bed, unconscious, her flowing brown hair framed her face, her long slim leg, so creamy and smooth. He remembered the smooth curves exposed by the thin fabric she was wearing. He was suddenly filled with desire. He stood up like a man hypnotized and went back to the kitchen and into the secret entrance. Only one thing was clear in his mind.

_I may not have my revenge on Potter but I would make her mine until that little Mudblood begs for mercy._

His eyes was stormy and clouded while his mouth was set in a rigid line as he walked determinedly towards that particular room, like a predator hunting his prey. He took one of the torches with him. He finally reached the door and entered the room.

Hermione, who was now wide awake, jumped at the noise. She backed herself to the wall. She balled her right hand into a fist. She would fight with every ounce in her body. 

_Hermione Granger will not go down with a fight. _Her whole body was tense, as she watched her kidnapper enter the room. The brightness of the torch's fire nearly blinded her, she covered her eyes adjusting to the light. She peered at the man who was standing in front of her. Taking in the silvery white blond hair, cold gray eyes and that familiar pale face, her eyes widened with shock. 

"M-m-malfoy?" she said with disbelief. Then she straightened up and said clearly. "So, is this the way you treat women now? Kidnapping them? With all your wealth, I thought you wouldn't be so desperate enough to kidnap a woman. Why, did Pansy dumped you?" she said snidely. 

She was terrified inside, but she won't give Malfoy the satisfaction of knowing that he had managed to strike the fear in her heart. She willed herself not to show any signs of fear. She looked at him with challenge in her eyes.

What she didn't know was that she only intensified the desire in Malfoy's eyes. His eyes narrowed, taking in the rise and fall of her chest, her eyes throwing angry sparks and her brown hair that used to be bushy but now fell smoothly to her shoulders. 

"You haven't changed. You're still a wildcat," he said coldly. "Good. I'll enjoy taming you." 

He advanced near her, she tried to back away but she had nowhere to go. She tried to outrun him to the door but he grasped his arms and slammed her down to the bed so hard she gasp. She tried to stand up but Draco clamped her hands above her head, and no matter how hard she tried to wiggle out of his grasp, his hands were like steel bands. She couldn't move even if she wanted to. His body covered her and she felt his hardness. The feeling of helplessness overcame her but she tried to fight. Whatever he was planning to do to her, he's not going to succeed. Her eyes spitting fire, she tried to kick him but his body had pinned her body, unable to move.

"Stop fighting," he hissed to her. "You're fighting a losing battle," he smiled coldly at her. 

She gave him a deadly glare. "Not if I could help it," she said through gritted teeth. 

He laughed harshly, then he kissed her. It wasn't a gentle kiss but a forceful one. He ravaged her lips, hurting her wanting her to cry out. It was then he looked into her eyes. And he saw the raw fear and realized she was shivering. He didn't know why but when he kissed her lips again, it wasn't the same. It was soft and gentle and sweet, Hermione shivered even more. He remove the clamp on her hands and he eased the weight of his body but he didn't stop kissing her. He planted feathery like kisses on the tip of her nose, face, cheeks. She moaned with pleasure, then she stiffened and went rigid. _I'm not going let myself be seduced by Draco Malfoy._

_~*~*~*~*~_

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. 

¡@


	2. Masquerade Ball

Disclaimer

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ THE KEEPER OF MY HEART~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

by **sexyme**

CHAPTER 2

***

Draco immediately sensed the change in her. She suddenly went cold, rigid and unresponsive. He felt like a pale of icy cold water was dumped at him. It doused the desire inside him. He sat up but remained close to her. Hermione quickly moved away, she backed at the farthest corner away from him. She didn't trust him or even herself anymore. Not after she responded to his kisses, it terrified her. She felt naked, helpless and weak. Her breathing was fast and shallow, she was hyperventilating. She also felt an excruciating pain pounding inside her head, she shivered, feeling extremely cold. She trembled in fear, when Draco reached out to her moments later. 

He could feel her shaking like a leaf, trembling from his touch. He grasp her arms firmly, allowing no escape. He looked at her brown eyes, now filled with naked fear. He wanted to erase that fear, he gritted his teeth. '_Why am I thinking this way?' _he thought, cursing himself. _'She's just a mudblood to play with.' _He tried to convince himself as he reach out his right hand to cup her face. But she quickly averted her face, so he kissed her cheek instead. He tasted the salty tears that were now streaming down her face. He used his finger tips to wipe away the tears, but the tears kept flowing, and she gave a horrendous heart-breaking sob. He automatically wound his arms around her, enveloping her in an embrace. She cried as she pounded her fist weakly against his chest. "Please, just let me go." she begged in a small voice, that was so unlike Hermione Granger. 

The sobs went on for a long time . It was after a few moments before Draco realized she had already fallen asleep with her hands curled into tight fists. His shirt was wet with her tears. He placed her back to the bed. He was about to turn away, but he couldn't resist touching her cheek. To his surprise, her skin felt hot. He placed his hand on her forehead. _'She's running a fe____ver._' he cursed loudly. '_No wonder she had acted so weak and so unlike her.'_

Without even thinking, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her upstairs into his room. He lay her gently on his bed. Touching the wet garment she was wearing, he realized that he had to get her out of that wet clothing. He sighed then removed her dress. He took a sharp indrawn breath, upon seeing the perfection of her body. He gaze at the creamy smooth complexion of her skin, down to the long length of her legs. 'Damn!' he cursed silently. He looked away and removed the rest of her wet undergarments, then covered her with the blanket.

He went out of the room and returned a few minutes later with a damp towel and small basin with lukewarm water. He sponged her face gently with the towel. Then he did the same to her body. His eyes were averted, not wanting to look at her. He wasn't one to take advantage of a sick girl. He sighed deeply, 'This is going to be a long night." he said with irritation.

After that, he dressed her with his black robe then covered her with the blanket. He removed his wet shirt and took a shower. After twenty minutes, he was back in the living room, seating on the couch and staring again at the flickering flames, a glass of brandy in one hand, Draco was again deep in thought. 

_'Why the hell did this all happened to me? __Damn you, Hermione Granger, for making me feel like this.' _his train of thought was filled with anger and cursing her. After a few seconds, he made up his mind. _'Tomorrow, I'm going to put the memory charm on her and bring her back to wherever she came from.' _he finally decided grimly. Satisfied with his decision, he went back to his room. Seeing her looking so vulnerable in her sleep, he touched her cheek gently. Then like he was burned, he quickly remove his hand away. He turn off the night lamp and went to sleep next to her.

***

"Hermione, you looked absolutely stunning!" exclaimed a shrill voice from behind. 

Hermione, who was dressed in a shimmery green sexy pull over style tube gown with a form fitting bodice, turned around to see a blond girl walking towards her. She was wearing a red three piece gown, adorned with flame flower rhinestones with a sequined mask covering half of her face. Judging by girl's voice, Hermione immediately guessed who it was. "Brown, Lavender." she smiled to the girl. She and the rest of them were all invited at this once a year special masquerade ball held by the richest wizard in the Magical Community. It was nice to see some familiar faces among the huge crowd. 

Lavender quickly hugged her. "Oh, it's so nice to see you again!" She turned to peer next to Hermione, "Who's your date?" she asked curiously.

Hermione shook her head, "I went stag." she said smiling ruefully, "I even forgot that this was a masked ball." She was amused that Lavender acts so much friendlier today than when they were both studying at Hogwarts. She remembered that Lavender used to be practically inseparable with Parvati Patil.

"Oh, but you looked great." Lavender cooed, "Besides, I hate this stupid mask anyway. I couldn't see a bloody thing!" she said, as she jerked the mask off her face. Lavender's pretty face shone with happiness. Hermione could see that she was obviously in love. 

"Lavender!" shrieked several girls from a distance. Hermione and Lavender were quickly surrounded by a group of tall European ladies. One of them hugged Lavender excitedly, "Lavender! Ve missed you" to which she responded eagerly, "I missed you all too. Why are you here?" she asked. Hermione looked on with interest. 

The blond who hugged Lavender answered, "Ve are invited for a tour here for a month."

Lavender turned to Hermione and introduced her to them. "Hermione, they are my friends in Europe when I stayed there for a year." she explained. She pointed to the blond, "This is Cat," then pointing to the next girl in line, "Taeria, Eyela, Melinda, Pippy, Eterna, Amber, Lishel, Amalia, Allyana and Widgen." They all nodded to Hermione and exchange a friendly greeting.

"I love your dress. It's very beautiful." said the brunette named Eyela to Hermione, who thanked her. Then all of them turned to ask Lavender, "Ver is your fiancee?"

She pointed towards the bar, where a young man wearing a turban stood. "That's my fiancee, Malcolm Baddock." her face was filled with pride. They oohed and ahhed upon seeing Baddock. 

Hermione thought the name sounded familiar. She was about to say that when a burly man tapped her shoulder, brusquely. She and Lavender turned to look at the man. Since the man was wearing a mask as well, she couldn't see or recognize him. The man bowed to her, then said in a thick accented voice, "ve would like to dance ve you." She cringed, _'Uh-oh. This the reason why I hated going to masquerade balls.' _

She was about to refuse him, when a voice came from behind them, "The lady is with me." Upon hearing this, the burly man glared with the intruder but upon seeing the steely glint in the other man's eyes, he quickly bowed to Hermione and excused himself.

Lavender and the rest of the girls looked at the man with curiosity. The man was tall, his body well-toned, blond hair and with an extremely sexy voice. Lavender wanted to ask why Hermione had told her that she had no date. _'Obviously, she's insecure that others would want to grab her date's attention.'_ she thought snidely. _'Oh, well, couldn't blame her. If my date looked that sexy, I'll probably be as well.' _Then she saw her fiance waving at her, she turned to Hermione and said, "I have to go. Talk to you later." then she motioned at the European girls to follow her.

Hermione didn't even noticed Lavender and the rest had left. She was too caught up with the man in front of her. When she realized that she was rudely staring at his face for several seconds, she blushed. Feeling slightly nervous, she bit her lip, "uhm, thank you." she said in a voice that was almost a whisper. She was about to turn away, when he spoke, his voice sending chills to her spine, "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" 

"Okay." she agreed softly. He gave his arm and she took it, feeling the masculine hardness of his arms. Once at the center of the dance floor, his right hand encircled her waist as she placed her left hand on his shoulder. They danced, along with the rythmn of the music. As he whirled around, she felt mesmerized by his eyes, it was icy gray and she felt drowning into it. She couldn't scrutinize his features since he was wearing a black mask. All she could see was his eyes and his mouth which was pressed into a thin line. She could feel the undercurrents coursing through him. '_He seemed very tense, I wonder why?' _she thought, and as she looked closely at his clenched jaw, it was obvious that he was very angry at someone or something. '_Strange, why would he be angry? He's certainly not angry at me. Could he?_' she wondered, feeling confused. 

She didn't know why but she felt safe at that moment. As the music continued, she placed both hands on his neck and lay her head on his shoulder. She instantly felt him stiffened, but she didn't remove her head from where it was nestled comfortably on his shoulder._ 'Who is this guy? Why does this feel so familiar? Why do I feel that I've been held like this before?'_ These thoughts swirled inside her head, but she pushed them at the back of her mind. All that matters was she was in his arms. 

It had been six months, since he last saw her. He did place the memory charm on her. And the Weasley girl got married to Potter without a hitch. He went back to his life and forgot about the cursed mudblood. But tonight, he didn't expect to see her among the crowd. He was standing in a corner, leaning against the wall, bored out of his mind, when he suddenly saw her. She took his breath away. She was wearing a dress that fits her perfectly and she wasn't wearing a mask. He didn't have the slightest intention of coming near her, let alone dance with her, but when he saw someone about to ask her to dance, it immediately galvanized him into action. He gave the man the deadliest glare he could possibly give. It was all he could do from ripping into that man's throat. He was so shaken by what he felt that he didn't trust himself to speak to her. When she stared at him with those beautiful brown eyes, he had the strongest urge to scoop her in his arms and never let go of her. It was his iron will which held him back. And when she thanked him and turned to leave, he was relieved but to his horror, he heard himself asking her to dance.

It was the stupidest thing he did in his life. Once she was in his arms, it was both a delightful and agonizing sensation. He wanted so much to kiss her but he had promised himself not to touch her ever again. He held himself rigid, thinking _'this is only a stupid dance.' _But when she nestled her head on his shoulders, it was pure hell. He wanted to push her away, with her being so near, his good sense gets clouded with the heady arousing scent of her hair, smelling of wildflowers and strawberry._ 'Damn. This is a bloody stupid mistake.'_

At that exact moment, the music ended. As she realized that the music had stopped and she was still clinging to her, she immediately took her arms away from his neck. Blushing, she looked at him. He merely nodded and walked away. Each step he took farther away from her, she felt pain. She doesn't understand why, but it pained her. '_Why do I feel so hurt? When I just danced with the guy for five minutes?' _she wondered in confusion.

She turned away as her eyes dulled with pain. She couldn't for the life of her could understand why she suddenly felt a huge lump in her throat. To her horror, her eyes suddenly filled with tears and threatened to spill out. She quickly ran all the way to the hall and got her cloak and left the ball room. '_Oh, God. Why am I acting so pathetic? I must be going mental._' she thought with self-disgust. She flagged the Knight Bus with a shaking hand. Thankfully, the bus appeared in a flash. 

Inside the bus, she had just flopped into one of the bed, when the tears finally spilled across her face unchecked. '_Why the hell do I feel so hurt?_' she whispered sadly, as she covered her face with a pillow. A sob rose from her thoat, as a wave of fresh new tears flowed in her cheeks. _'I'm not really the emotional type. I mean, I just met the guy. It wasn't as if he had proposed or something_. _So, why do I feel like I lost my best friend?' _she asked herself, as she gazed at the window.

Thankfully, she had stopped crying by the time the Knight Bus arrived at the doorstep of her flat. She wasn't aware of the shadow behind her, lost in her gloomy thoughts. It was only when she heard someone breathing at her neck that she turned around. She gasp, "It's you!" but before she could scream or do anything her mouth was clamped to stifle the screams and then everything went black. Her last thoughts were, _'Oh, God. No.'_

******************

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Draco-Hermione Forever!!

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. 


	3. The Man in her Dream

**The Keeper of My Heart**

**Disclaimer:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. 

Chapter Three

Hermione found herself at the center of the dancing floor and back in the haven of the masked stranger's arms. All her thoughts and worries were abandoned as she gave in to the heady pleasure of being held by those strong but gentle hands. 

With her face closely pressed to his chest, she could hear the steady drumbeat of his heart. His hands started to caress her neck, sending delicious shivers down her spine. She looked straight into his stormy eyes, and felt the magnetic pull of his gaze. Their eyes locked for several minutes, then he kissed her and it was like drowning in a myriad of emotions. His kisses made her feel lightheaded as if she was floating in the air. She put her arms around his neck as he kissed her deeply, passionately. 

When he moved his head back, she moaned in protest. Then he pressed his lips lightly on her eyelids, she smiled, feeling warm all over. Her eyes fluttered open when he stopped kissing her, the glow still in her eyes as she looked up to his face. To her utter astonishment, she discovered that the man holding her wasn't the masked stranger anymore, but instead, was another man. 

With a strangled cry, she pushed him away and went for the door. Suddenly, the room was spinning dizzily around her. It took her a moment before she realized with a shock that she was lying on the ground of what seemed to be the Forbidden Forest. She frantically looked around her.

'_What the hell is going on?'_ Hermione immediately stood up, shaken and confused.Panic started to set in and she begin to tremble. Then she heard heavy footsteps coming closer to where she was. She didn't know why, but she started to run as if her life depended on it.

She ran across the middle of nowhere, as she race ahead of whoever was chasing her. Blinded by panic, she kept on running, ignoring the scratches on her arms as she weaved through the thick forest. She could hear footsteps coming nearer to her, and this spurred Hermione to run faster. She kept on running aimlessly, all that matters was to get away, but suddenly, she stopped in her tracks. A dark figure loomed in front of her blocking her way. 

He was unusually tall, and garbed in a black flowing robe, with his face hidden by the dark shadows of his hood. He held in his right hand a wooden rod. She tried to back away but the spectre raised his right hand, waved the rod and a greenish mist encircled her body until she couldn't move an inch. Slowly, she was lifted and carried towards her captor. When she was merely inches away from the dark-robed man, his hooded face leaned closer to her, and she could feel his icy breath dangerously close to her skin. Her eyes widened when she finally saw his face beneath the hood. It was a skull with blazing red eyes staring venomously at her as his skeleton mouth opened to deliver her a kiss. The Kiss of Death. She let out a piercing scream.

Her screams woke her up and she opened her eyes in shock. Hermione realized she was soaking wet and breathing heavily. Her whole body shuddered with relief that what she had just experienced was merely a horrible dream. But her relief proved to be short-lived. Her hands, she discovered with dismay, were pinned to a moss covered wall. 

"Awake at last," a voice said from behind her. She twisted her head. Her breath was caught in her throat when she saw a group of black-robed men, standing a few feet behind her._ Death Eaters!_

As they slowly surrounded her, she felt like stepping into another nightmare, but this time it's for real.

Hermione became fully aware that her green gown was extremely sheer when wet. She squirmed uncomfortably, her eyes flashing furiously as she struggled against the chain that shackled her to the wall. 

"Well Mudblood, how do you like your accommodations?" She knew that voice. She couldn't see his face, but she had definitely heard his voice before. Her gaze dropped at an empty bucket he was holding. Apparently, he was the reason why she was cold and dripping wet. She racked her brain, trying to place his voice from her memory. 

He put down the bucket and advanced towards her. Her skin crawled when he pressed his body against hers. She had to stop herself from flinching when he caressed her cheek. "Afraid, Mudblood?"

She quickly turned her face and bit his hand with a vengeance. He yelled in pain. "You stupid bitch!" And slapped her with such force that blood trickled from her lips. Seeing this, he laughed harshly and yanked her hair hard. As his laughter echoed across the room, something triggered in her memory. 

Hermione spat at his face. "I'm not afraid of anyone, especially you!" She stared lividly at him. "It's you who should be worrying about rotting in Azkaban."

"What makes you think we should be worried?"

"Because I know who you are," she sneered back. "I don't have to see your face to know that you're Vincent Crabbe."

The man who was apparently Crabbe seemed taken aback by this.

"So what," grunted another familiar voice, "you're not going to live after this." 

Hermione guessed instantly. "Goyle, Gregory... without a doubt." His sharp intake of breath confirmed her suspicion.

"You will all rot in hell!" she spat furiously.

A bone chilling laugh behind her made Hermione whirl her head to look at the direction of the sound. She made an audible gasp. The other man in her dream! 

He was also garbed in a black robe like the others, but his hood was down, exposing his identity His face was unnaturally pale and extremely gaunt. A solitary torch hanging by the side of the wall cast gloomy shadows across his bony face. Long dark locks fell over his shoulders like a dark mantle. It was his eyes which totally unnerved her. It was a sickening white. 

He merely stood there, looming over her, but the hair rose on the back of her neck. A faint thread of fear entered her mind.

"Such a pity," the stranger rasped throatily. She cringed as he looked her up and down. Pushing the bile down her throat, she stared defiantly at him. 

With a swift gesture of his right hand, the chain on her hands abruptly fell on the ground. Wide-eyed, she couldn't believe she was let loose. 

"Avarus, what the bloody hell are you doing?" One of the Death Eaters shouted incredulously. His outburst was only met with an ominous stare, he immediately went silent. It didn't escape Hermione's notice that they seemed to be afraid of him. 

His eyes remained steady on Hermione's face. "You have twenty seconds to run for your life," he said, a cruel smile on his lips. 

Knowing she could never outrun them, her mind started to race. She's not that stupid to believe that they were setting her free. It was more bloody likely to be a cat and mouse game, and she is the helpless prey. Her eyes darted wildly across the room, looking for a means of escape. She spied next to a stack of dirty wooden crates, a wide oak door at the far end of the room.

"One...two...three...four...five..." 

She started backing away from them, all the while trying desperately to think of something. The glint of the golden bangles in her left hand caught her attention. It hit her that it was no ordinary accessory, but a Smoky Stunning Bangle. It's a powerful combination of a stunning spell and exploding smoke bomb. George Weasley gave it to her as a Christmas present. She quickly pulled out the bangles from her hand. 

"Ten... Eleven... Twelve..."

Quickly, she threw the first bangle on the floor. The men simply looked at it stupidly. In a split second, it exploded loudly and filled the whole place with thick smoke. 

She ran quickly towards the wide oak door, but it was locked. "Alohomora!" But the door wouldn't budge. Approaching footsteps alerted her and she leaped and took cover on one of the wooden crates. 

She could see a faint outline of a shadow coming towards her. She threw the remaining bangle on the advancing Death Eater, stunning him instantly. He dropped head first on the ground. His wand rolled next to her feet, she immediately grabbed it. 

"Petrificus Totalus!" she yelled and pointed at someone coming towards her. It was Crabbe, his stiff form crashed on the floor with a loud thud. 

She stunned two more Death Eaters who were completely caught by surprise.

"Useless fools!" hissed Avarus, his eyes glowed menacingly as two more Death Eaters fell on the floor stunned. 

Goyle stuttered. "We didn't know she was carrying an explosive." He pointed an accusing finger at Larkin. "You didn't check, you stupid moron." 

Under his hood, Larkin went deadly pale. "Please forgive my carelessness. I didn't think-"

"It doesn't matter." The smoke was starting to clear. Avarus advanced towards the crate where Hermione was hiding.. 

Hermione hurled a stunning spell at him, desperation gnawing at her; knowing that the smoke would clear in a few seconds. _Six down, seven to go..._

He took a step closer. 

She couldn't believe that the stunning spell didn't have any effect on him._ Not a faulty wand at a time like this. Oh please..._she thought in panic. She decided to stun the other two Death Eaters behind him. 

"Accio wand!" Her wand flew straight to Goyle's waiting hand. She was so busy keeping her eyes on Avarus and fighting the other two, Goyle was able to snuck from behind, catching her by surprise. He threw the wand to Avarus. 

Avarus took one look at her horrified expression and smiled even more cruelly. Without removing his gaze from her face, he pointed his wand straight at her. Her face went paper-white. 

"Crucio!"

An excruciating pain racked her whole body. She crumpled into the floor, writhing in agony. The pain was everywhere, radiating through her in stupefying waves. She wanted to scream, instead, she bit her lip hard. Her brain felt like it would explode. Keeping her eyes tightly shut, she gnashed her teeth to stop herself from crying out. Hermione thought the pain would numb her senses, but she was wrong. Instead, the pain intensified to a sickening degree. A small whimper escaped her lips as her vision became hazy. The only thing she remembered before her world spun into worlds of gray and black was the deafening laughter ringing hollowly in her ear, then the darkness was complete. 

~*~*~*~*~

Draco woke up with a nasty hangover. He looked at the clock, it was five in the morning. His temples throbbed and felt like a dozen Red Caps pounded on his head. He showered, finger-combed his hair and fixed himself a strong cup of black coffee. He looked bleakly at the countless empty bottles on the floor. Well, it certainly looked like he had wiped out the entire contents of his bar. He stirred his coffee and stared at the window absentmindedly, his thoughts were dark and troubled. The ghost who haunted him for months, which he thought had long been banished away, was now back in full force. Last night, after dancing with her, he realized he needed to get away from that place before making an entire fool of himself. 

He had Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron the minute he left the ball, and downed a few drinks within ten minutes. There were some blondes who gave him sultry inviting looks but he merely ignored them and concentrated on his drink. Tom, the old barkeeper, kept throwing him suspicious looks that he realized Tom must have recognized him as a Malfoy. He averted his eyes and kept on downing drink after drink. He couldn't understand why he felt so depressed. 

When Ron 'the Weasel' Weasley entered with an unnamed brunette, he stiffened visibly. Ron was busy looking after his date that he didn't notice him sitting in a corner. Draco immediately left, not wanting to be in the same vicinity with him. That they never liked each other during their school days in Hogwarts would be an understatement. 

He walked along the streets, his mind lost in deep thought, unmindful of the fact that he was walking along Muggle streets and people were gawking at the robe he was wearing. When he reached a dead end, he realized that three Muggles had followed him. They were holding a knife and heading determinedly towards him. His lips curled into a derisive smile. _ 'Idiots!'_ He took out his wand and uttered, "Accio Knife!" and the knives zoomed into his hands in a flash. 

The three Muggles looked at him in shock, then they immediately ran away. Disgusted, he threw the knife on a canal and Apparated back to his home, where he drank himself to a drunken stupor. 

_'She probably danced all night,'_ he thought angrily. Draco remembered the way she looked in that cursed gown, so incredibly innocent and beautiful. The feel of her in his arms was so overwhelming that he wanted to kiss her and brand her his. His eyes glittered with self-disgust. _'I've seen women more beautiful than her...so why are you letting her get to you?' _

Cursing himself inwardly, he closed his eyes, shutting them tightly, but the vision of her standing in the ballroom glowing and vibrant wouldn't go away. '_Maybe I need to put the memory charm on myself,'_ he thought derisively. He was seriously considering that thought when the fire in the living room crackled with a different light. He went towards the hearth and took a jar and threw some of its contents into the fire. Goyle's ugly face suddenly popped into view. 

"What do you want, Goyle?" he asked coldly. His eyes narrowed with suspicion, Goyle normally do not use this method to contact him, especially this early.

Looking like the cat that swallowed the canary, Goyle's face split into a wide smile. "The group finally allowed Larkin to join." Goyle seemed disappointed to see no reaction from Draco, he tried again. "His first initiation was to kidnap a Muggle and bury her alive." 

He didn't tell Goyle that Larkin was so damn eager to join that without any orders, Larkin took his own initiative and kidnapped Granger six months ago. Instead, Draco merely looked at him. 

Goyle's smile widened. "I thought you should know, it was the Mudblood you hated most. The one named Granger who was close to Potter," he finally revealed. 

"She did put up quite a fight," recounted Goyle proudly, his eyes glazed. He didn't notice that all the blood had drained out of Draco's face. "She was placed by Larkin inside a coffin. I placed the anti-float and sound proof charm, while Crabbe did the lock charm on the coffin. The rest of us watched, while Avarus sent the coffin plunging deep into the lake. "

Images of Death Eaters levitating the coffin in dizzying speed flashed in Draco's mind. He snapped out of his trance.

"We buried her alive. It was bloody exciting," Goyle said, glancing finally at him. "Where were you all night?" 

"You moron, she's not a Muggle, she's a Muggle-born witch," Draco rasped, totally ignoring his question.

Goyle looked unperturbed. "What's the difference? Muggle born, Muggle, they're all the same. "

Draco fought hard to keep his face a blank mask. Goyle failed to notice that Draco's hand were tightly balled into fists.

Goyle laughed harshly. "The lake now became her watery grave." Goyle laughed harshly. "I can imagine how Dumbledore would look when a former Hogwarts student's dead body be discovered floating by the lake.

Draco willed his face to remain composed, but inwardly, he wanted to slit Goyle's throat. "Since when did this all happened?" he asked in an indifferent tone. 

"Around midnight last night," Goyle answered smugly. "The plan is for Potter to get the message after four days. He would be fishing her lifeless body by then. Damian said this is only the beginning." His eyes gleamed before his head popped out of view. 

After Goyle's head disappeared, Draco nearly staggered to the floor. He forced himself to stand upright, his hand gripping the side of the sofa. His head was reeling from shock. "Oh, God. Hermione!" he whispered in a ragged voice.

He dashed out of the house, cursing. 'It's all my stupid fault. I shouldn't have left her, then that bastard wouldn't get his slimy hands on her. If something happened to her... I'll never be able to forgive myself!" 

~*~*~*~*~*~

**Author's note:**

Thank you to my lovely reviewers namely: Rugi, Koneko-chan, Sakura Petals, Kit O'Connor, Lady Rogue, FF7girl, Missgiggles4ever, Fre spirit, Draco'a Draca, Desiree McKnight, Amalia Milan, Starlyte Godess, Lishel Fracrium, DarkAngel009988, Nayanya Potter, Eyela , Nooknak, pippy1982, Taeria Silverlight, the Cat, Melinda Malfoy, Eterna Goddess of Spring, Amber Lee and Caitlin Allyana. (Happy b-day sweetie!) 

I know I've been in a hiatus for about three months. The reason: another Hermione fic. 


	4. What Lies Beneath

THE KEEPER OF MY HEART 

Chapter 4 - What Lies Beneath

Draco apparated at the Hogsmeade Village and tried to blend in with the early morning crowd, but he wasn't quick enough, someone recognized him. 

"Well, if it isn't Witch Weekly's Top Bad Boy himself, Mr. Draco Malfoy." 

His whole body tense, Draco turned to the direction of the voice. His gaze fell towards a raven-haired, brown-eyed woman who was wearying an acid green robe, a Quick-Quotes Quill on her left hand and a parchment on the other. 

When Draco didn't speak, she took his silence as a sign to continue. "Were you aware that a certain ex-girlfriend of yours, Miss Pansy Parkinson, was quoted saying that you are one heartless bastard," she said, sliding an appraising glance at him. "Care to comment on that?" 

For a moment, Draco merely stared blankly at the woman who was looking at him with barely hidden interest. Then recognition dawned on him. She was Dasani Gladcliff, Rita Skeeters's inquisitive assistant. He remembered seeing her during Skeeter's infamous interview with his father two years ago.

"I don't give a snitch what she's been saying about me," said Draco, his tone icy as he leveled his steely gaze on her. "If I were you, I'll quickly dispose the garbage your Quick-Quotes Quill has written or else..." 

The imminent threat in his voice made her crumple the parchment immediately. Draco, still not satisfied, took the crumpled sheet and promptly pocketed it. He turned on his heel and left the reporter scowling behind his back. After walking past the Three Broomsticks, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure Skeeter's protégée wasn't following him. When he reached the back alley of Honeyduke's Sweetshop, he took off on his broom in haste, and as he hurried towards the lake, the image of a helpless Hermione trapped inside a coffin at the bottom of the lake kept flashing before his very eyes. Grimly, he fought off the vision by focusing on his destination.

It didn't took him long to reach the lake, and he hovered for a minute or so, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of Goyle and the others who might be guarding the lake. When he found none, he landed noiselessly on the grassy patch near the lake. Careful not leave any signs of his presence, Draco transfigured his broom into a moldy stone and performed the Bubble-Head Charm on him, then dived neatly into the lake. He let out a loud hiss. The early morning temperature made the water icy cold and it felt like tiny needles pricking mercilessly against his skin. Gritting his teeth, he pressed on until his body had adjusted to the water temperature. Strong even strokes brought him to the bottom. He searched through the eerily grey-lit water around him. 

The minutes seemed to ticked by endlessly as he swam furiously past the forest of tangled black weed. His strokes strong and powerful. Amidst the murky water, a school of fish swam ahead, their silvery fins glimmered as Draco continued on. He carefully stayed away from the patch of green weeds where Grindylows were mostly lurking. For two hours, Draco searched patiently for any sign of the coffin Goyle had mentioned. He found none. Even the mermen and mermaids, who live deep down the lake, were not in sight as he went past the merpeople village. 

_Goyle will pay dearly for this._ Seething with anger, Draco decided to stop his futile search. With a few vigorous kicks, he propelled himself upward. His head broke the surface and was about to head back when he spied two figures standing by the bank. Draco ducked back underwater, then quietly resurfaced not far from where the two men stood, using a large, overgrown clump of Water Hyacinth as cover. Both men had their backs on him, and they whirled around upon hearing the slight noise Draco made when his head bobbed out of the surface. 

"Did you hear that?" one of the men muttered. 

"It's probably just the Giant Squid." 

Draco tensed when he heard the voices. He peered through the clump. Just as he he had suspected, it was Borgin Bletchley and Marcus Flint. 

Flint was crouched near the water's edge, his narrowed eyes fixed intently at the ripples visible across the lake's surface. After a few moments, he stood up, and picked up a pebble then hurled it across the lake.

"Hey, Flint, what time did Avarus say he was coming?"

"Around noon," Flint replied, shading his eye from the sun's glare. 

After hearing this, Draco knew it would not be wise to stay around when Avarus arrived. And if it meant staying under water then so be it. His eyes went steely grey. If Avarus himself was coming to man the lake then Goyle must have been telling the truth. He would just have to keep on looking. The two had stopped talking and rolled on their backs, watching idly the clouds in the sky. An idea struck him. Draco slowly rose from his hiding place, his intention was to stun the two. When suddenly, there were popping noises and Crabbe, Larkins and Goyle appeared in front of Flint and . Draco ducked quickly and made sure he remain hidden from their sight. 

"Seen any Mudblood floating around?" said Crabbe, who winked at Goyle. At this, all of them laughed maliciously. 

Draco's mouth flattened to an angry line. Knowing it would be foolhardy to stay around now, and quite impossible to stun all five of them without giving away his identity, Draco swam away unnoticed. Diving into the depths of the lake, he re-doubled his efforts as he tried to ignore the tiny voice inside his head whispering that he's already too late. 

~*~*~*~*~

The long hours down the lake finally took its toll on Draco. He leaned dejectedly against the tail of the gigantic merperson statue, his eyes burning with fatigue. Wearily, Draco closed his eyes, his energy spent. It was nearly six in the evening when Draco opened his bleary eyes. "Damn it," he groaned after realizing he had fallen asleep from exhaustion._ It had been hours since Goyle told me, she's probably .... _Filled with helpless rage, he stared broodingly across the murky water. 

Slowly, Draco started to get up, but his stiffened limbs were being gripped by intense cramps. With a few choice words, the spell he uttered lessened the discomfort he was feeling. Much as he desired to come up the surface, he couldn't risk it, not if Avarus was there. He clenched and unclenched his hand, thinking how much longer could he stay underwater when his eye caught on something. "Lumos!" he said quickly, and the light from the end of his wand told him he was right. It was a small shard of wood. Nothing to be excited about, if not for the fact that several more pieces were scattered within a short distance from each other. Driven by hope, he followed the trail until he reached a wide expanse of black mud. He stopped cold, if there were any traces left it would have been easily swallowed up by the mud. Convinced that the coffin might be underneath, Draco plunged his right hand deep into the mud while his other hand tightly grasped his wand. All of sudden, something shot past him. It was a mere blur and he had absolutely no idea what it was. He swirled around, hoping to catch a glimpse of that mysterious thing again. Sure enough, not a minute had passed when Draco caught sight of a glowing, barely perceptible mass moving towards him at such an impossible speed. 

When the unknown creature streaked past him, Draco sped towards the direction the creature was heading. His instincts practically screamed at him to follow it. As he went past the stretch of light-green weed, several small, horned Grindylow poked out of the weeds. In his hurry, he had forgotten about those pests. In split seconds, the Grindylows were weighing him down; grasped tightly to his legs and arms, hindering his movements. One snatched his right shoe, while another one tugged relentlessly on his other shoe. He kicked hard thrice before he managed to get rid of the one on his left foot. However, the Grindylows were not finished with him yet. Two managed to grab at the bubble around his head, blocking his vision. Angered by the water demons, he took out his wand and shouted, "Relashio!" His wand emitted silver sparks and struck down four of the pesky creatures. But there were simply too many of them. Unable to see what was in front of him, he hit his back at a protruding rock. A shout of pain slipped from his lips. One persistent Grindylow lunged at his exposed throat, its grip vice-like, choking him. His wand slipped from his fingers as he struggled against being dragged into the depths by the water demons. Gasping for breath, Draco felt himself sink as his vision started to dim. He was at the end of his strength; coldness ran through him as he continued to sink. 

Just then something hard brushed against him. He clung to it. Then felt himself being pulled forward; he was feeling very drowsy by then and was too exhausted to think of anything. He half opened his eyes and discovered to his amazement, that the Grindylows had mysteriously vanished and that he was clinging at the end tail of the sea creature he was chasing just moments ago. From where he was positioned, all he could see was its rainbow-colored scales. And it was huge. Still dazed, he stared to the direction they were heading to. His eyes widened. They were going to smack straight to an algae-covered stone wall. It was simply too late to do anything. As he steeled himself against the impact, his hands instinctively went up, covering his face. However, instead of crashing, he found himself falling into pitch black darkness, and then there was a big splash as he landed in waist-deep freezing water. He gasped for air, breathing so hard that he failed to realize that the Bubble Head spell had been broken. Shivering, Draco raised himself half out of the water, and slowly, painfully, walked toward the rocky shore with legs that felt like lead, then fell back exhausted on the sand. Numb from the lower waist down, it was some time before he pushed himself into an upright position and was arrested by the sight before him. 

Every imaginable color greeted his eyesight; it was astounding. There were violet trees with leaves that sparkled mysteriously. Draco blinked. His eyes couldn't quite take in the splendid array of absurdly-colored trees and plants. His gaze fell towards the picture-perfect waterfalls where he must have landed earlier. The water fascinated him; it was the color of rich golden amber similar to a sparkling champagne. Even the sand was sugary pink. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He pushed his wet blond hair from his eyes as he stared in disbelief. The place seemed taken right out of a story book he had read when he was still a small child. 

Slowly he stood up, his movements jerky and stilted. As he straightened, he took a good look around him. Lying a few yards away was a wrecked coffin. Draco made a mad dash towards it, and as he stepped closer, he nearly froze when he saw a small huddled form. _It's her!_ He knelt beside her and let out a breath he hadn't been aware of holding as a piercing sense of relief went through him. His relief, however, was short lived, for Hermione was deathly white, dripping wet and shaking with cold. 

He lifted her in his arms, and at his touch, her eyes suddenly flew open. Draco went absolutely still. "Please don't leave me, " she whispered hoarsely. The glazed look on her eyes didn't escape Draco's sharp gaze. She was obviously delirious and most probably had no idea who he was at the moment. His mouth went white with anger as he imagined the kind of torment she just went through.

"So c-c-cold," she mumbled, her teeth chattered loudly. "C-c-cold, s-s-so very cold..." When Hermione shivered even more violently, Draco's hand automatically reached into his pocket robe for his wand. With a few curses under his breath, he remembered how he lost his wand back in the lake. Gently, he lowered her back on the sand. To his surprise, his wand lay on the sand next to him, how did it got there he couldn't care less. With a flick of his wand, he quickly uttered the Drying Spell, but to his surprise nothing happened. Again, he tried. The result was the same. 

He turned his attention back to Hermione, whose convulsive shivering alarmed him. Draco raked his fingers through his hair before he started tugging down the clingy green gown, which was sticking to her like a second skin. He swore softly, followed by his sharp intake of breath. He tore his gaze and continued tugging the cursed gown until it reached down her waist. His hands stopped in mid-movement. Inch-thick, black weed was wrapped alarmingly tight around her stomach. Acting quickly, he snatched a broken shell from the sand and the shell instantly served as a knife as he slipped it under the weed, slitting it from top to bottom with one swift stroke. He was filled with silent fury as he took in the faint bruises on her upper arms, scratches on her lower legs, a two-inch gash on her right knee, as well as the angry red mark the weed had left. His frown deepened as he briskly eased the gown, which seemed to have a mind of its own, off her hips all the way down her bare toes. When he finished undressing her, he turned away, searching for a suitable covering. His glance fell over an outlandishly large, periwinkle-blue plant not far from him. Draco plucked several of the plant's overly-large leaves and covered her shivering body. 

He next went to work on his own dripping-wet clothes. He easily shrugged off his robe, followed by his shirt, then he kicked his remaining shoe and unbuckled his belt at the same time. As his pants hit the sand, he jerked off his socks impatiently. Clad only in a white cotton boxer, he scooped the pile of wet clothes, then went over a glittering tree closest to him and laid the wet garments over a violet branch to dry. 

Draco lay next to her, and seeing her still shivering uncontrollably, gathered her close to him. As he felt the shudder coursing through her body, he gathered her even closer, and wrapped her in his arms. He touched her long brown hair, the dampness caused it to curl about her face and shoulder. With his hand tangled in her wet, brown curls, Draco took a deep, shuddering breath as he drew in the scent of her hair as he continued to hold her in his embrace. Her hair still smelled like wild flowers and strawberry just as he remembered, sweet and intoxicating. He looked at her face and was relieved that she had finally closed her eyes. For a while only the steady rhythm of his breathing could be heard, along with the lulling sound of the waterfalls. 

He immediately noticed the change; the chills had finally subsided and color returned on her cheeks. Slowly, gently, he released his hold on her, but she shifted restlessly and only became still when she finally curled up against him. He studied her face and found himself mesmerized, forgetting his aching muscle as his hand began to trace the delicate curve of her jaw down to the soft, pale hollow of her throat. Hermione moaned softly, and pressed her cheeks on his chest. Exhausted, Draco welcomed the feel of her soft curves pressed close to him as he closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep with a half-naked Hermione snuggled in his arms. 

To be continued 

_Schnoogles to all the wonderful reviewers who left inspiring reviews or emailed me privately. Thank you to: ** Mystical Kiwi, Wendelin the Weird, Howler Wolf Maraud, GPilot04, Dark-Angel, Jamie Girl, Callisto-Callispi, Hermione Malfoy, Lady Legolas, Ann Chan, Rowena R, Rage Moon, Fire Goddess, Camille, Vegeta's Goddes, Lishel Fracrium, AmiAmiNSusu, Lianna, Toadie, Night Spirit, Chrissy, Tanith Faye, Summer Lyon, ** and the amazing** Strega Brava.** _

_Many thanks to ** April, Ashley ** and** Caitlin Allyana** for including Keeper in their Draco-Hermione Archive._

_This chapter is dedicated to ** Chalice, Silveray, Rugi, Daniela, TopDawg **and** Nuada**. _

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